Extension-step for cars.



F; W. CRAM. EXTENSION STEP- FOR CARS. APPLICATION FILED APR-1.1915.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH cmnmsnmu'rorlv D. c.

pniTiin dTATlEd raTianT FREDERICK WERT ORAM, OF MOUNT VERNON,W'ASI-IINGTON.

EXTENSIGIWSTEP F933, CARS.

Application filed April 1, 1915.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK Wear CRAItI, acitizen of. the United States of America, and a resident of the town ofilount i ernon, in the county of Skagit and State of il 'ashington, haveinvented certain new and useful improvements in Extension- Steps forCars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists .of an attachment for car steps which provides anadditional step which may be extended or withdrawn as desired.

Tihe object of my invention is to provide an additional step which maybe used in lieu of the stool which is commonly employed when a car isstanding upon a track of the same level as the outside platform.

The scope of my invention may be deter-- mined bv an inspection of theclaim. terminating this specification.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have shown the form of construction whichis now preferred by me.

Figure l is an end view of a car platform with parts broken away tobetter show the mechanism of my attachment. E2 is a plan view of oneflight of steps with an adjacent portion of the platform, parts beingbroken away to show the operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is anelevation of aflight of steps taken from the side of the car with a portion thereofbroken away to show the operating mechanism. F ig. 4- is a sectionalelevation showing in detail the catches by which the operating mechanismmay be held in either of its limiting positions. Fig. 5 is a plan Viewof the same mechanism. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the same mechanismshowing the parts in different position from that shown in Fig. i.

if have herein illustrated my invention as applied to the steps of anordinary railroad car. It is evident that the same type of constructionand principles may be applied to other cars, as for instance, electric,street and interurban cars.

1 represents a flight of steps which is of the character of constructionusually found on railroad cars. This has side boards 10 which supportthe flights 11. On the flights, preferably on their outer sides, areplaced a series of guides 3. These receiving bars 2 which extend in thegeneral direction of the flights, that is, upwardly at the angle assumedby the steps in the flight.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Dec. 238, 1915. Serial No. 18,499.

To the lower ends of bars 52, which bars are placed at each side of theiiight, is con nected a supplemental tread 80, this normally lying closeagainst the under surface of the lowermost of the fixed treads 11. Thelength of the bars 2 is such that they iay l e reciprocated in thedirection of the flight of steps, so as to project or extend the tread30, downwardly or into the position shown at the right hand side of Fig.l.

A rock shaft 4 is mounted in. suitable supports beneath the upper partof the flight of steps, this shaft extending transversely of the steps.Upon this shaft is secured an arm it) which is connected with the upperend of one of the bars 2 byalink ii. A similar arm 40 is provided at theother end of the shaft i which is similarly connected to the companionbar 2. Booking the shaft 4 will reciprocate the bars 2 and eitherproject or withdraw the extension step 30.

The shaft 4 has secured thereto an arm 5 and this is connected withmeans which normally act to turn the shaft in such direction as willdraw toe extension step S0 upwardly into its inoperative position, orthe position shown at the left hand side in Fig. 1. Such means as hereinshown employs a spring as the moving force, although it is evident thata weight suitably connected thereto, would be an equivalent means.

in theform of construction illustrated the spring is a helically coiledspring contained within a case 51 and acts upon a reciprocating rodwhich is connected with the arm 5. A single spring connection issullicient for each extension step and such has been herein shown, theconnection being with the central portion of the rock shaft 4.

In order to overcome the action of the spring and to project theextension step, I provide mechanism which is engageable at will. Thismechanism should have a men1- her which projects above the platformadjacent the upper end of the flight of steps. The mechanism illustratedfor this purpose is as follows. To one end of the rock shaft is securedthe cranlt arm 6, to which is connected a bar which projects upwardlythrough the platform floor 9. The force of the springor whateverequivalent means is employed, is such as to withdraw the ex tension stepand to raise the bar 60 to its uppermost position. This bar 60 isprovided with a notch 61 located so as to be engaged by a catch 64 whichcatch should be provided with means for withdrawing it when desired.Such means are shown in Fig. -.t-. and consist of a bell crank lever 66which is connected with the plunger 65. A. spring 67 surrounding thecatch bolt 6 L holds the same projected so that it will automaticallyengage the notch 61 when the bar (S is depressed. Should it happen thatthe spring be broken or incapable of satisfactorily withdrawing orholding the extension step in inoperative position, the withdrawal maybe done by engaging the bar and the parts may be held in this positionby shifting; a supplemental catch 7 into position to engage the notch 62in this bar.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is:

1. In an extension step for cars, in combination withthe fixed flight ofsteps, of a tread member having a bar secured to each end thereof, saidbars being adapted to extend upward along each side of the flight andthe tread to lie beneath the lowermost tread of the fixed flight, guidesfor said bars carried by the fixed flight and permitting lengthwisereciprocation of the bars, means for automatically returning saidextension tread to position beneath the lowermost of the fixed treads,means for optionally holding said extension tread in extended posi tionand auxiliary means for holding said tread in inoperative position.

2. In an extension step for cars, in combination with the fixed flightof steps, of a tread member having a bar secured to each end thereof,said bars being adapted to extend upward along each side 01 the flightand the tread to lie beneath the lowermost tread of the fixed flight,guides for said bars carried by the fixed flight and permittinglengthwise reciprocation of the bars, levers connected with said treadsupporting bars to reciprocate them, a spring acting to normally returnsaid bars to their withdrawn position, means optionally engageable tothrow the extension step into its extended position, a catch engageableto hold the step in said extended position and separate auxiliary meansfor holding said tread in inoperative position.

3. In an extension step for cars, in combination with the fixed flightof steps, of a tread member having a bar secured to each end thereof,said bars being adapted to extend upward along each side the flight andthe tread to lie beneath the lowermost tread or" the fixed flight,guides for said bars carried by the fixed flight and permittinglengthwise reciprocation of the bars, a shaft extending transversely ofand beneath the flight, levers secured to said shaft and connected withthe tread supporting bars to reciprocate them, a reciprccable memberoperatively connected with said shaft and engageable to reciprocate saidtread supporting bars, and catches adapted for engagement with saidmember to positively hold it in either extreme position.

t. In an extension step for cars, in combination with the fixed flightof steps, of a tread member having a bar secured to each end thereof,said bars being adapted to ex tend upward along each side the flight andthe tread to lie beneath the lowermost tread oi the fixed flight, guidesfor said bars carried by the fixed flight, and permitting lengthwisereciprocation of the bars, a shaft extending transversely of and beneaththe flight, levers secured to said shaft and connected with the treadsupporting bars to reciprocate them, a lever arm secured upon saidshaft, a spring secured to the car by one end and to said lever arm byits other end, and acting upon said shaft to withdraw the treadsupporting bars, an arm carried by the shaft, a bar connected with saidarm and extending upwardly through the floor of the ear platform andoperable to extend said tread, and a catch adapted for engagement withsaid operating bar to hold it in stepextended position.

Signed at'Mt. Vernon, Wash, this 20th dav of March, 1915. v

FREDERICK WEE-T (DRAM.

Witnesses FRANK C. PICKERING, J. W. Jonnson.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

